Button edging machine



Aug. 18, 1931. F. l. WALKER 1,819,308

BUTTON EDGING MACHINE F iled Aug. 7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet J.

flux \9. INVENTOR W ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 18, 1931. F. WALKER BUTTON EDGING MACHINE Filed Aug. 7. 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 fiv -0L MM, INVENTORI ATTORNEYZS.

Patented Aug. 18, 1931 FRED I. WAIiKER, OF NEWARK, JERSEY BUTTON EDGINGMACHINE Application filed August 7, 1929. Serial No. 384,104.

This invention relates particularly to a machine for smoothing orgrinding the edges of molded buttons to remove the burr formed at thejoint of the mold sections, although the invention is equally welladaptable for grinding or smoothing the edges of other disc-likearticles.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine of this characterembodying a 10 novel and improved combination of abrading or grindingwheels and a work support so that button blanks or the like can bebrought automatically into proper relation to the grinding wheels,rotated upon the work sup- 5 port by contact with said wheels which atthe same time smooth the edges of the blanks, and discharged from thework support, whereby the edging of the buttons can be easily, rapidlyand economically done without any special skill or attention beingrequired of the operator.

Another object is to provide a machine of the character describedwherein the button blanks can be deposited by machine or manually inrecesses upon the work support without fastening or holding devices andso as to be freely rotatable in said recesses, and the work supportmoves said blanks to bring their edges into contact with the peripheriesof opposed grinding wheels which are dis posed at angles to each otherand said work support so as to rotate the button blanks between them insaid recesses on the work support and at the same time smooth the edgesof the blanks, the blanks being carried out of contact with said wheelsby the work support and discharged therefrom by gravity.

Other objects are to provide such a machine in which the work support isin the form of a wheel having recesses on its periphery open at thesides of the wheel to loosely receive said blanks so that the edges ofthe blanks project beyond the wheel and the blanks are held againstlateral displacement but are free to fall by gravit r from said recessesradially of the wheel said button being rotatable between theperipheries of grinding wheels which are so arranged that they contactwith said edges of said blanks to hold the button 0 in said recess andare rotated in the same direction and at relative speeds so as to rotatethe blanks in said recessesand smooth said edges to provide a buttonedging machine which is simple and inexpensive in construction andoperation; and to provide other advantages and results as will bebrought out by the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding and likeparts are designated throughout the several views by the same referencecharacters, 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a button edging machine embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is an end elevation viewing the machine from the line 3-3 ofFigure 2, and with the emery wheel omitted for clearness ofillustration.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view showingthe manner in which the button blank is engaged by the emery wheels, and

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the parts illustrated in Figured.

Specifically describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, themachine comprises a table or other suitable support 1 upon which ismounted a vertical bracket 2 in which is secured a horizontal shaft 3upon which is rotatablymounted a work support 4 which may be in the formof a circular disc or wheel. The work support has in itsperiphery aplurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 5 to rotatably receivebutton blanks 6. Each recess preferably comprises a substantially flatbottom 7 and opens through the sides of the work support 4. The recessesare generally circular and of a diameter slightly greater than that ofthe button blank to be edged, the side walls 8 of the recesses beingsubstantially straight and at right angles to the bottom 7. The buttonblanks 6 when they are discharged from the mold have a rough or burrededge which is formed by the crevice occurring atthe' meeting faces ofthe mold sections, and these button blanks are inserted in-the recesses5 with their edges projecting'beyond the sides of the work support, asshown in Figures 2 and 4 of 'wheels 9 and 10 are substantiallycylindrical and accordingly they overlie the button blank the drawings,so as to be exposed for the grinding operation.

Abrasive wheels 9 and 10, preferably of different diameters, arearranged one at each side of the work support 4, as shown in Figure 2 ofthe drawings so as to engage the pposite exposed portions of the edgesof the button blanks. Preferably the abrasive wheels are so arranged asto engage each button blank when it reaches a position at 45 degrees toa vertical plane through the work support with the recess facingupwardly.

It is also preferable that one of the wheels,

in the present instance, the wheel 10, be so arranged that right angularaxial planes thereof are disposed respectively at angles of 15 degreesand 135 degrees to the axis of the button, while the other wheel 9 isarranged with its axis in a common plane with the axis of the button andconverging at an angle of approximately 15 degrees to the axis of thebutton. The peripheries of the abrasive as shown in Figures 1 and 5 soas to influence the button toward the bottom of the recess 5 and holdthe button against displacement from the recess.

The abrasive wheels 9 and 10 are rotated at different speeds and in thesame direction indicated by the arrows in Figures 2 and 5, the smallerwheel 9 being rotated at the higher speed. The wheels may be driven inany suitable manner, but as shown are mounted on the respective shafts12 and 13 journaled in the respective bearing blocks 14 and 15 which aresecured to the table 1, the shafts having the respective belt and ulleyconnections 16 and 17 with a suita le source of power.

With this construction it will be observed that when the button blank ismoved by the work support into a position between the abrasive wheels 9and 10, the exposed edge portions of the button blank will be engaged bythe abrasive wheel and rotated in the direction of the arrows in Figure5. There will also be relative rotation between the button blank and theabrasive wheels so that the burred edge of the button blank will beground oif.

The work support 4 is rotated with a stepby-step motion so as tosuccessively present the button. blanks to the abrasive wheels. For thispurpose, I may utilize a pawl and ratchet mechanism comprising a pawl 18pivotally mounted at 19 upon one end of a bell crank lever 20 which ispivoted at 21 on the table 1 and has its other arm influenced by aspring 22 so as to swing the lever in one direction; and the pawl 18 isarranged to engagethe side walls of the recesses 5 and is normally heldin engagement with the periphery of the Work support by a tension spring23 connected between the pawl and a lever 24 pivotally mounted at 25 onthe table. The two levers 20 and 24 are connected by a link 26 and soarranged tl at the link moves in a substantially horizontal plane. Theend of the link 26 opposite the pawl 18 has journaled thereon a roller27 which follows a cam 28 on a counter-shaft 29 which is driven by aworm and worm wheel gearing 30 from a shaft 31 driven by a belt andpulley connection 32 from a suitable source of power. With thisconstruction it will be observed that the pawl 18 will be reciprocatedby rotation of the cam 28 and will engage the side wall of one of therecesses 5 upon movement in one direction and slip over the periphery ofthe work supportupon movement in the opposite direction so as to rotatethe work support in the direction of the arrow on F igure 1. The buttonblanks may be supplied to the recess 5 at the top of the work supporteither manually or automatically, and they will be brought by the worksupport successively into engagement with the abrasive wheels. After thebutton blanks have passed between the abrasive wheels they will fall byaction of gravity from their respective reoesses as shown in Figure 1.To hold the button blanks against discharge from their recesses beforethey reach the desired point of discharge, I may hingedly mount a keeperplate 33 on the upper end of the bracket 2, said keeper plate beingcurved concentrically with the work support and bearing upon the top ofthe button blank which slides beneath the keeper.

To prevent overthrowing of the work support under the influence of thepawl and ratchet mechanism. I preferably provide a friction drag whichmay consist of a pair of friction blocks 34 mounted on the rods 35slidably arranged in the bracket 1 and carried by a cross-head 36 whichis slidable upon the projecting end of the shaft 3. A com pressionspring 3'? is interposed between the cross-head and adjusting nuts 38 onthe shaft so as to constantly exert yielding frictional pressure uponthe side of the work support through the friction blocks 34. Also,preferably a friction washer 39 is interposed between a head 40 on theend of the shaft op-'- posite the nuts 38 so that the work support isforced against said friction washer by the spring 37. The frictionalresistance to rotation of the work support is, of course, of such extentas to be easily overcome by the pawl and ratchet mechanism.

The bearing blocks 14 and 15 may be adjustably mounted to vary therelation of the abrasive wheels to the button blanks, as may i bedesirable.

While I have shown and described the invention embodied in the nowpreferred details of construction it will be understood that this isprimarily for the purpose of illustrating the principles thereof andthat many modifications and changes may be made in the details ofconstruction without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A button edging machine comprising a work support having an upwardlyfacing recess the plane of the bottom of which is at an angle ofsubstantially forty-five degrees to the vertical to rotatably receiveand hold a button against lateral displacement with diametricallyopposite portions of its edges exposed, a pair of rotatable grindingwheels each with its periphery in contact with one of said oppositeportions of the edge of the button, and means for rotating said wheels,said wheels being rotated at different speeds in the same direction andbeing angularly disposed with respect to said button so as to rotate thebutton and influence it toward the bottom of said recess.

2. A button edging machine comprising a work support having an upwardlyfacing straight walled recess for rotatably receiving and holding abutton against lateral displacement with diametrically opposite portionsof its edge exposed, a pair of rotatable grinding wheels each having acylindrical coaxial periphery in contact with one of said exposedportions of the edge of the button, one of said wheels being arranged sothat its axis and the axis of said button are substantially in a commonplane and converge at an angle of approximately fifteen degrees, whileright angular axial planes of the other wheel are respectively at anglesof fifteen degrees and one hundred thirty five degrees to the axis ofthe button, and means for rotating said wheels in the same direction andthe first mentioned Wheel at a higher speed than the other wheel, sothat said button is rotated in said recess and held against axialmovement therefrom by said wheels.

3. The machine set forth in claim 2 wherein said work support is a wheelrotatable upon a horizontal axis with a plurality of said recesses inits periphery with their axes radially disposed, and with the additionof means for rotating said work support with a step-by-step motion tomove the buttons successively to and from said grinding wheels.

l. The machine set forth in claim 2, wherein said Work support is awheel rotatable upon a horizontal axis with a plurality of said recessesin its periphery with their axes radially disposed and said grindingwheels are disposed so as to engage said buttons as each reaches aposition with its axis at fortyfive degrees to the vertical, and withthe addition of means for rotating said work support with a step-by-stepmotion to move the buttons successively to and from said grindingwheels.

5. A button edging machine comprising a work supporting wheel rotatablymounted upon a horizontal axis and having a plurality of circumferentialspaced recesses with their axes radially disposed, each to rotatablyreceive and hold a button with its axis disposed radially to said wheeland with diametrically opposite portions of the edges of the buttonexposed, a pair of grinding wheels rotatable at diiferent speeds eachwith its periphery to contact with one of said opposite portions of theedge of the button in one of said recesses, said wheels being angularlydisposed with respect to said button so as to rotate the button andgrind the edge thereof, means for revolving both said grinding wheels,and means for rotating said work supporting wheel with a step-by-stepmotion to move the buttons successively to and from said grindingwheels.

FRED I. WALKER.

